Sailors enjoyed a day of barbeque, games and music during a steel beach picnic on the flight deck and in the hangar bay aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)(Ike), Nov. 28.

The picnic was a way to give back to the Sailors aboard the ship for their work and provide a break from the daily routine.

"The goal of the steel beach picnic was to keep the crew's morale high during these tough times out at sea and away from their friends and families back home," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jacob Tomasi, who works for the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) department aboard Ike. "It was a chance for the crew to break away from the monotony and enjoy themselves."

MWR coordinated activities such as sumo wrestling, big-glove boxing, corn hole, basketball and volleyball, while Supply department's S-2 division provided plenty of great food and a DJ spun songs for the crew. Members from every department took turns serving so every Sailor on the ship had a chance to enjoy a day of leisure.

"It was nice to have an opportunity to enjoy some awesome food and relax with friends," said Petty Officer 1st Class Rick Isotalo, president of the ship's First Class Petty Officer Association. "With all the activities MWR provided, I think everyone had a lot of fun and will be even more ready to carry on with the mission tomorrow."

This was the second steel beach picnic of the deployment, which began June 1, but the weather was much more favorable this time and the crew was most appreciative.

"We have worked very hard this deployment, so we needed this," said Seaman Jose Pina. "It was a great way to hang out with people we work with, as well as other Sailors we don't see regularly. I had a lot of fun and it was a beautiful day for a picnic."

Ike and its carrier strike group are deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.


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